Railroad-switch.



lill. IHS 1 H w. m ma? P I- l) M@ M L@ M .on m h .1.. l f f /WW ff w w zn No; 637,054. I Patented Nov. I4, |899. c. w. wENTzELL.

RAILROAD SWITCH.

(Application iled June 5, 1899.)

-Nu Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

TN: Nomus grans co. vnovcumo, wAsNmmoN. n. c.

No. 637,054. Patented Nov. I4, |899.

C. W. WENTZELL. RAILROAD swlTcH.

(Application filed June 5, 1899.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 (No Modal) Wilma/50% I UNITED STATES' PATENT FFIC.

CLAUDE W. VVENTZELL, OF I'IARPERS FERRY, WEST VIRGINIA.

RAILROAD-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION 'forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,054,01`ated Novmbe 14, 18de.

Application tiled Tune 5, 1899. Serial No. 719,427. (Alle model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, CLAUDE W. WENTZELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harpers Ferry,- in the county of Jefferson and State of West Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railroad- Switohes, of which the following is a specification. l v

This invention appertains to improvements in railroad-switches, and provides a track mechanism the construction of which is such that when set for the main track it will not be engaged nor the position of the parts changed by passing trains and when not properly set by the switchman parts of the mechanism will be engaged bythe wheels of a passing train to automatically set and lock the switch for the main track; also, to provide means whereby the switch may be held to guide a train onto a siding, a part of the track mechanism being held immovable by the train, so that the switch-points will be locked in place before the train enters the switch and until it has passed beyond the same.

The switch mechanism embodies a laterally-movable trip which is constructed and positioned to be actuated by the flange of a carwheel or by a switch-lever and connections between the trip and switch-lever including a spring and sliding connection whereby the trip may be moved and held away from the track-rail and when not so lpositioned the trip will be moved by the flange of the carwheel either to set the switch-lever and switch-point for the main track or when the lever is held and the switch-point set for the siding the trip will be vibrated without actuating the parts of the track mechanism connected thereto. The .track mechanism includes in the combination a vertically and longitudinally movable lockingbar, which extends alongside o f one of the track rails beyond the switch-points in each direction to lock the switch mechanism before the train reaches and passes the switch, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the track mechanism positioned or set to have a clear way for the main track, so that trains may pass upon the rails thereof without actuating any partpof the switch mechanism. Fig. 2 is a plan View showing the position Vof the parts with the switch open, and when in suchposition the switch-lever is held so that the trip will not actuate the switch-points, which allows a train to pass onto a siding, and when the switch-lever is not held the switch will be set vautomatically by the train for the main track. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of a part of the track mechanism, taken on the dotted line of Fig. 2. zontalv sectional View taken longitudinally through one of the track-rails, the lockingbar, and the means for attaching the same to the rail; and Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the dotted line of Fig. 4, the parts being shown entire.

In the drawings the main-track rail, the switch-points, siding-rails, and means for attaching such parts to the ties are of a standard type. The usual direction of traiiic upon the tracks is in the direction of the arrow shown alongside of Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. A laterally-movable trip 6 is secured adjacent to one of the main-track rails at al considerable distance from the switch-points,

and opposite the trip, near the other main track, is a fixed guard-rail 7. The movable trip 6 is bowed longitudinally, and to support the same so that its center may contact with the track its ends are apertured or bifurcated to'engage with supports 8, attached to the ties, to maintain the movable trip on a line with the tread of the track-rail. The end of the trip 6 is pivotally attached to one of the supports and carries centrally lugs or equivalent means for connecting theretov a rod 9, having a shoulder or bearing l0, the end of the rod farthest from the shoulder being passed through a guide-block 1l, and adjacent to thev guide-block, upon the rod 9, is a nut or stop l2. The construction shown provides means whereby the trip may have a movement to and from the trackrail and is supported at three points. The rod 9 is encircled by a spring 13, one end of which bears against the shoulder l0, While the other end bears against an upturned end ofV a bar 14, through which the rod 9 passes. The spring tends to hold the upturned end of the bar in Fig. 4 is a hori- IOO contact with the stop and permits the trip 6 to be moved by the bar 14 away from the track-rail, and the spring holds the trip by its pressure upon the shoulder 10 and upturned end of the bar 14 against the trackrail. The bar 14 passes beneath the movable trip and the track-rail, its outer end being upturned and connected to the short arm of a bell-crank lever 15, carried by a xture attached to one of the extended ties of the way. To the outer or long end of the lever is secured a rod 16, the opposite end of which is connected to the wrist-pin of a crank, the crank being mounted on a shaft which carries the switch-lever.

Upon a base is mounted a pillow-block, in which is journaled the rock-shaft, having at one end the crank 17 and at the other end the lever 1S, and in line with the lever on the base is an upright 19, to which the lever may be locked when brought to ahorizontal position.

The movable switch-points or switch-rails are connected to each other in the usual manner by a switch-rod, and to said rod is attached one end of a link 20, the other end being secured to the short arm 21 of a threethrow lever, the arm projecting at substantially right angles from the other arms thereof. The arm 22 of the lever has connected therewith a rod 23, which extends to the wrist-pin of the crank 17. The bell-crank lever 15 and the three-throw or triple-armed lever are fulcrunled on their fixtures, so that when the crank is moved the rods and arms attached to the crank will be moved in the same direction and the arms to which are connected the bar 14 and the switch-rod will be moved in opposite directions.

The longend of the three-throw lever projects from its fulcrum toward the track-rail and is connected to a rod 24, the other end thereof being secured to outwardly-projecting brackets or lugs on the locking-bar 25.

In a standard-switch where switch-points are used the main-track rail is bent to join the rail of the siding or branch, and this bend is adjacent to the point where the beveled switch-point for the main track contacts with the main-track rail, and to provide an effective locking device forthe switch-points which will hold them positively in the position which they have been set before the train reaches them and while thereon l use by preference a bar having the same range of movement as the standard detector-bar, as such bar, hereinafter known as the locking-bar, can be readily connected with signals in the usual manner.

The locking-bar 25 lies alongside of the main and the siding rail, to which it is secured by brackets 2t', said brackets being preferably formed integral with the bar 27 and extend outward and upward therefrom, as shown. A bar 27 is bolted to the web of the rail, and between the outwardly-projecting portions thereof and the outer members of the brackets is placed the locking-bar, so that its upper edge can be raised above the tread of the rail and when lowered will be on the same plane therewith. At points opposite the brackets the locking-bal' has therethrough double -inclined slots 28, through which pass bolts which connect the bar to the brackets. lVhen the locking-bar is moved so that the bolts will engage with the lower or central walls of the slots, the bar will be positioned above the tread of the rail to be in the path of the tread of a car-wheel, and when the bar is lowered the bolts will engage with the end portions of the slots, the bar then being moved on a plane with the tread of the rail. The locking-bar 25 is not only susceptible of a vertical movement, but also moves from end to end, and when the bolts which connect the locking-bar to the bar 27 or the brackets thereof pass through the ends of the slots nearest the guard-rail 7 the switch will be set for the main track, and when the locking-bar is positioned so thatthe opposite ends of the slots will be against the bolts the switch will be set to guide a train from the main track to the siding. The locking-bar is connected to the switch-points and switchlever, so that when the wheels of a car contact with the locking-bar the switch-points cannot be moved while a train is on the switch.

In operation when the switch-lever is in locked engagement with the upright the short arm of the bell-crank lever 15 is moved toward the track, the bar 14 is forced against the stop on rod 9 and positions the laterally-movable trip to one side of the track, so that it will not be engaged by the flange of a passing car-wheel, at the same time the locking-bar is moved away from the trip and is lowered to a level with the track, and the switch-point is held against the rail to which the lockingbar is secured. lVhen the parts are thus p0- sitioned, trains may pass over the main-track rails without contacting with the switch mechanism.

'lo shunt or switch a train to the siding o1' branch, the switch-lever is raised and held to hold the switch-point for the siding against the main-track rail, and when a train moves toward the switch the flanges of the wheels will contact with the trip; but as the bar 14 is held by the switch-lever such contact will onlyresult in moving the trip to one side, and as soon as the treads of the car-wheels contact with the locking-bar it is held depressed, and the switch-points cannot be moved until the train has left the locking-bar. The switch may be positioned so that a train may either enter the siding or pass therefrom. Should the switch attendant fail to close the switch or lock the switch-lever, the flanges of the car-wheels will engage with the trip, move it laterally, compress the spring, and force the bar 14 to one side, which will draw upon the short arm of the bell-crank lever, lower the IOO and many other changes may be made with` out departing from the invention.

I claim- 1. In switch mechanism, the combination with the switch-points, of a laterally-movable trip located adjacent to one of the main-track rails in advance of the switch-points, a vertically and longitudinally movable locking-bar, and means connecting the parts to provide an automatic safety-switch and lock for the main track and a manually-operated switch and train-actuated lock for the siding or -branch tracks.

2. In switch mechanism, the combination with the main track, a switch-track and movable switch rails or points, a locking-bar positioned alongside one of the main-track rails and one of the switch-track rails, a switchlever connected to the locking-bar and to a trip which is positioned alongside one of the main-track rails beyond the locking-bar and in advance of the movable switch rails or points, the connecting means being such that the trip moves longitudinally the locking-bar and laterally the switch rails or points under the conditions set forth.

3. In switch mechanism, the combination with the switch-points, of a movable trip, a vertically and longitudinally movable locking-bar, means connected to the trip, the locking-bar and to the switch-points, said means including a lever, a spring between the lever and thetrip, whereby, when the lever is not manually set for the main track, the switchpoints will be set and held by a car-wheel which first engages the trip and then the locking-bar.

4. In switch mechanism, atrip so positioned with respect to the track as to be actuated by the flange of a car-wheel, a locking-bar connected with such device` and to the switch which is set by the trip and held by the tread of a car-wheel to hold the switch against move-v ment, the means. for connecting the parts including a switch-lever and a spring between the trip and lever, whereby, when the lever is not held the mechanism will be actuated by a train to set and hold the switch for the main track.

5. In switch mechanism, the combination with a movable trip positioned adjacent to one of the rails of the main track, a rod which extends therefrom, a bar in engagement with the rod and with a switch-lever, a spring having a tendency to separate the rod and bar so that the trip may move against the direction of movement imparted thereto by the switchlever, substantially as set forth.

6. In switch mechanism, the combination with the tracks including switch-points, of a locking-bar connected to one of the rails of the track and switch to be held depressed by the tread of a car-wheel, a system of rods and levers connecting the switch-points with the locking-bar, a switch-lever, a trip located beyond the locking-bar, means connected to the trip which are positively actuated in one direction by the lever and spring-actuated in the same direction by a passing train, to set and hold the parts as they would be set and held by the lever whenlocked.

7. In switch mechanism, a switch-operating device positioned with respect to the track to be actuated by the iiange of a car-wheel, a locking-bar connected with the device in a manner to be actuated thereby and held against movement b'ythe tread of a car-wheel, means ,for connecting the parts including a yielding connection,and a switch-throw lever, which mechanism is assembled so that the switch-points can be set and locked for the main track by the switch-throw lever, and when not so set, will be set by a passing train, and may also be set for the switch-tracks by force which is applied to the switch-throw lever suflicient to overcome the resistance of the yielding connection.

8. In a switch mechanism, the combination with the switch-points, of a movable lockingbar attached to a fixed rail opposite and beyond the switch-points, a movable trip located between the main-track rails beyond said locking-bar, means for connecting the locking-bar the trip and the switch-points with each other, so that the switch-points will be operated by the trip before the locking-bar is engaged by the wheels of a car', substantially as shown. e 9. In switch mechanism, the combination with a track-rail, of a bar constructed to be attached to the web thereof, said bar having outward-projecting portions and extensions which are bent so as to lie parallel with the bar; together with a movable bar secured to be maintained vertically therein, substantially as shown.

lO. In switch mechanism, a trip bowed longitudinally and provided adjacent to its central portion with a shouldered rod which is pivotally attached thereto, a guide for the opposite end of the rod, a stop carried by the rod, a bar movably mounted on the rod and a spring between the shoulder of the rod and end of the bar, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

11. In switch mechanism, the combination of a trip, a rod connected thereto, a bar mounted on the rod, a spring also on the rod and adapted to engage therewith and with the bar, a bell-crank lever connected to the bar and to a crank, a switch-lever connected to the IOO IIO

shaft carrying the crank, a triple-armed lever In testimony whereof I have hereunto sei', mounted adjacent to the switch-points, a rod my hand in presence of two subscribing Wit- 1o for connecting one of Jche arms to the crank, nesses. a link connecting the switch-rod to another 5 arm, and a locking-bar connected to the long arm of the triple-armed 1eve1,ohe parts being Witnesses: organized substantially as shown and for the G. R.` BEEDY, purpose set forth. JAMES CONWAY.

CLAUDE W. WENTZELL.v 

